Container Having Automatically Opening and Closing Lid

ABSTRACT

A container having an automatically opening and closing lid and for storing various contents is disclosed. To this end, the present invention includes: an outer container ( 10 ); an inner container ( 20 ); a contents container ( 30 ); an upper lid ( 40 ) having an upper lid body ( 41 ), a contents supply hole ( 42 ), an opening and closing piece ( 43 ), and an opening and closing piece actuating portion ( 44 ); and a lower support ( 50 ) comprised of an upper fixed member ( 51 ) and a lower actuating member ( 55 ). Therefore, the present invention can be used without a separate opening and closing operation of the lid and thus is highly convenient and sanitary.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a container for storingvarious contents. More particularly, the present invention relates to acontainer having an automatically opening and closing lid, the containerbeing configured such that an upper lid is automatically opened when thecontainer is lifted from a surface, and the upper lid is automaticallyclosed when the container is put down on a surface after use, wherebythe container can be used without a separate opening and closingoperation of the lid and thus is highly convenient and sanitary.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, containers are used to contain and pack various contents inthe form of liquid, gel, and powder.

Such a container is comprised of a container body and an upper lidcoupled to an upper portion of the container body and configured to beopenable and closable.

Such a conventional container is configured such that when a user wantsto withdraw contents from the container, the user can open the upper lidprovided on the upper portion of the container body or can open aseparate opening and closing port provided at the upper lid, thuswithdrawing the contents to be used.

In other words, conventionally, the user needs to open the upper lid orthe opening and closing port of the upper lid separately to withdraw thecontents to be used from the container, and then close the upper lid orthe opening and closing port of the upper lid after use. This may causea problem in that withdrawal of the contents to be used is veryinconvenient.

In particular, in the case of using contents such as cosmetic materials,when the user closes the upper lid or opening and closing port afteruse, the container may slip from the hand of the user due to thecosmetic materials applied thereon. This may causes a problem in that itis more inconvenient to operate the upper lid or the opening and closingport, further causing the container to become contaminated with anunsanitary residue of the cosmetic materials on the outer surface of thecontainer.

In an effort to solve such problems, a technique has been disclosed inwhich contents of a container are automatically withdrawn for use, thusimproving convenience of use. For example, a pair of ball valves, whichare configured to be oppositely operated by a tension coil spring and acompression coil spring, are provided in an outlet of a container lid,such that when the container is pressurized by being lifted, the valveis automatically opened by a pressing force acting thereon, allowing thecontents to be discharged, and when the container is put down to standupright and the pressing force of the container is released, the valveis closed, allowing the contents remaining in the outlet to flow backinto the container.

However, due to the fact that the valve is opened to withdraw thecontents to be used by the pressing force acting thereon when thecontainer is pressurized by being lifted, and the fact that the valve isclosed when the container is put down again to stand upright after thepressing force of the container is released, the above-describedcontainer according to the related art adapts a semi-automatic openingand closing method in which the operation of pressurizing the containeris required additionally to the operation of lifting the container inorder to open the valve. Therefore, the container according to therelated art is problematic in that convenience of use may be limited.

Furthermore, the container according to the related art is stillproblematic in that when the container is in use in a standing positionor is carried and stored in a bag or the like, the container may beeasily tipped over, and when an external force is applied to thecontainer and the valve is unintentionally opened, the contents of thecontainer may be unnecessarily discharged therefrom. Currently, there isno separate technique for preventing this.

It is to be noted that previously proposed related arts include KoreanUtility Model Registration No. 20-0018478, Korean Utility ModelRegistration No. 20-0067812, and Korean Patent Application PublicationNo. 10-2006-0035531.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind theabove problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of thepresent invention is to provide a container configured such that whenthe container is lifted from a surface, an upper lid is automaticallyopened, and when the container is put down again on a surface after use,the upper lid is automatically closed, whereby the container is usedwithout a separate opening and closing operation of the lid and thus ishighly convenient and sanitary.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a containerhaving a locking function that limits an automatic opening operation ofan upper lid, thus preventing leakage of contents during carrying andstorage of the container and ensuring safe use.

Still another objective of the present invention is to provide acontainer having a suction plate that is additionally provided at thebottom of the container, wherein when the container is lifted from asurface, suction is automatically is released, and when the container isput down again on a surface after use, suction is automatically created,thus preventing leakage of contents that may occur when the container istipped over or is placed on its side while improving convenience of use.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above objectives, the present inventionprovides a container having an automatically opening and closing lid,the container including: a hollow-shaped outer container; an innercontainer inserted into the outer container and configured to beelastically movable upward and downward by a tension member insertedbetween the outer container and the inner container; a contentscontainer inserted into the inner container and fixedly coupled to theouter container, the contents container being charged with contentstherein; an upper lid having a cap-shaped upper lid body coupled to anupper portion of the outer container, a contents supply hole formedthrough an upper side portion of the upper lid body, an opening andclosing piece provided over the contents supply hole, and an opening andclosing piece actuating portion configured to open and close thecontents supply hole by allowing the opening and closing piece tohorizontally slide in cooperation with an upward and downward movementof the inner container; and a lower support comprised of an upper fixedmember fixedly coupled to a lower portion of the outer container, and alower actuating member coupled to a lower portion of the upper fixedmember and configured to be moved upward and downward in cooperationwith the movement of the inner container, wherein when the outercontainer is lifted from a surface, the inner container is moveddownward by the tension member, and when the outer container is put downon a surface, the inner container is moved back upward while compressingthe tension member, whereby the opening and closing piece automaticallyopens and closes the contents supply hole.

The contents container may have a discharge port formed in an upper sideportion thereof; the discharge port may be inserted and fixed in acoupling hole formed in an upper side portion of the outer container;and a sealing cap may be coupled to the opening and closing piece at alocation corresponding to the contents supply hole, and a ring-shapedsealing member may be inserted into the contents supply hole and intothe discharge port of the contents container so as to cooperate with thesealing cap in an airtight manner.

The opening and closing piece actuating portion may be provided at leftand right sides thereof with a fixed member and a movable memberconnected to the opening and closing piece and having an inclinedportion, with an elastic spring inserted between the fixed and movablemembers, and a stopper of the inner container may be provided on a frontside of the inclined surface of the movable member in close contacttherewith, such that the movable member moves the opening and closingpiece while being moved leftward and rightward in cooperation with theupward and downward movement of the inner container.

The fixed member and the movable member may be engaged with each otherby rails and rail grooves so as to guide a sliding movement, and thefixed member may have a supporting plate provided at a lower portionthereof and inserted and fixed in a lower portion of the upper lid body,and a tube provided at a side portion of the supporting plate andinserted and fixed in the coupling hole formed at the upper side portionof the outer container together with the discharge port.

The opening and closing piece of the upper lid may be inserted into aguide groove formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lidbody so as to be moved along the guide groove, and the opening andclosing piece and the movable member may be assembled by a couplingprotrusion and a coupling groove.

The lower actuating member of the lower support may have an insertiontube provided at an upper center thereof and guide wallscircumferentially provided at equiangular locations outside theinsertion tube, and the insertion tube and the guide walls may berespectively coupled to an insertion hole formed in a center of theupper fixed member and guide holes circumferentially formed at locationsoutside the insertion hole so as to be moved upward and downwardtherealong, wherein an upward and downward movement distance of theinsertion tube and the guide walls may be limited by a stop protrusionprotruding from a side portion of each of the guide walls and by avertical guide groove vertically formed in a partition wall providedinside the upper fixed member and along which each of the stopprotrusions is vertically moved.

A locking groove may be connected to an upper portion of each of thevertical guide grooves by horizontally extending in a circumferentialdirection such that when the stop protrusions are inserted into thelocking grooves, an upward and downward movement of the upper fixedmember and the lower actuating member is limited.

The lower actuating member of the lower support may have a suction plateassembled to a lower surface thereof and having a suction hole formed inthe center of an upper portion thereof, and the suction plate may beconfigured such that when the outer container is put down on a surface,an actuating protrusion of a lower cap coupled to a lower portion of thecontents container is inserted into the suction hole to close thesuction hole, thus creating suction, and when the outer container islifted from a surface, the actuating protrusion of the lower cap isseparated from the suction hole, thus releasing suction.

The lower cap may have a guide tube protruding from a lower portionthereof outside the actuating protrusion and inserted into an insertiontube of the lower actuating member so as to be moved upward and downwardtherealong, and the guide tube may have slits vertically formedtherethrough at equiangular locations.

Advantageous Effects

As described above, the present invention has a configuration includingthe outer container, the inner container inserted into the outercontainer to be movable upward and downward, the contents containerinserted into the inner container and fixedly coupled to the outercontainer, the upper lid coupled to the upper portion of the outercontainer and opening and closing the contents supply hole with theopening and closing piece, and the lower support coupled to the lowerportion of the outer container to be movable upward and downward.Accordingly when the container is lifted from a surface, the opening andclosing piece of the upper lid automatically opens the contents supplyhole in cooperation with a downward movement of the inner container andthe lower support, and when the container is put down again on a surfaceafter use, the opening and closing piece of the upper lid automaticallycloses the contents supply hole in cooperation with an upward movementof the inner container and the lower support. Therefore, the presentinvention can be used by automatically opening and closing the lidwithout a separate opening and closing operation thereof and thus ishighly convenient and sanitary.

Furthermore, through the provision of the lower support having a lockingfunction, even when the outer container is lifted from a surface, theopening and closing piece of the upper lid can be prevented from beingautomatically opened in cooperation with the movement of the innercontainer and the lower support. This makes it possible to preventleakage of the contents during carrying and storage of the container andthus ensure safe use.

Furthermore, through the provision of the suction plate additionallyprovided on the lower surface of the lower support, when the containeris lifted from a surface, suction is automatically released, and whenthe container is put down again on a surface after use, suction isautomatically created. This makes it possible to preventing leakage ofcontents that may occur when the container is tipped over or is placedon its side while improving convenience of use.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a closed state of acontainer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cut-away exploded perspective view illustrating a mainportion of an upper lid of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway exploded perspective view illustrating a mainportion of a lower support of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion “A” of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion “B” of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an external perspective view illustrating an opened state ofthe container according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a partially cutaway perspective view of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is an operational view illustrating an opening and closingoperation of the upper lid according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A container 100 having an automatically opening and closing lidaccording the present invention includes an outer container 10, an innercontainer 20, a contents container 30, an upper lid 40, and a lowersupport 50.

The outer container 10 includes a hollow body 11 and an upper and lowercoupling portions 11 a and 11 b provided at upper and lower sides of thebody such that the upper lid 40 and the lower support 50 are coupled tothe upper and lower 11 a and 11 b, And a lower pedestal 50 is coupled tothe coupling portions 11 a and 11 b, respectively.

The inner container 20 is inserted into the outer container 10, and atension member 70 is inserted between the outer container 10 and theinner container 20 such that the inner container 20 is elasticallymovable upward and downward.

In other words, when the outer container 10 is lifted from a surface,the inner container 20 is moved downward by the tension member 70, andwhen the outer container is put down on a surface, the inner containeris moved back upward while compressing the tension member 70.

The contents container 30 is charged with contents therein. Furthermore,the contents container is inserted into the inner container 20 and has adischarge port 32 formed in an upper portion thereof and a lower cap 35coupled to a lower portion thereof.

The discharge port 32 is inserted and fixed in a coupling hole 12 formedin an upper side portion of the outer container 10.

The upper lid 40 includes: a cap-shaped upper lid body 41 coupled to theupper portion of the outer container and fixed so as to be preventedfrom being separated and to be prevented from being rotated byengagement between an assembly slot 49 a and an assembly protrusion 49 bengaged along a longitudinal (vertical) direction, and having a contentssupply hole 42 formed through an upper side portion thereof at alocation corresponding to the discharge port 32; an opening and closingpiece 43 configured to horizontally slide from over the contents supplyhole of the upper lid body to a location away from the contents supplyhole; and an opening and closing piece actuating portion 44 configuredto open and close the contents supply hole 42 by allowing the openingand closing piece 43 to slide in a second side direction in cooperationwith a downward movement of the inner container 20 when the outercontainer is lifted from a surface and by allowing the opening andclosing piece 43 to slide to an original position thereof in cooperationwith an upward returning movement of the inner container 20 when theouter container is put down on a surface.

Herein, the opening and closing piece 43 is inserted into a guide groove41 a formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lid body 41so as to be moved along the guide groove leftward and rightward in ahorizontal direction.

Furthermore, the opening and closing piece actuating portion 44 isprovided at left and right sides thereof with a fixed member 44 a and amovable member 44 b connected to the opening and closing piece 43 andhaving an inclined portion 44 b-1, with an elastic spring 46 insertedbetween the fixed and movable members. A stopper 23 of the innercontainer is provided on the front side of the inclined surface 44 b-1of the movable member 44 b in close contact therewith, such that themovable member 44 b moves the opening and closing piece 43 while beingmoved leftward and rightward in cooperation with an upward and downwardmovement of the inner container.

In other words, when the stopper 23 is moved upward, the opening andclosing piece 43 is moved rightward to close the contents supply hole42. When the stopper 23 is moved downward, the opening and closing piece43 is moved leftward to open the contents supply hole 42.

At this time, the fixed member 44 a and the movable member 44 b areengaged with each other by rails 47 a and rail grooves 47 b so as toguide a sliding movement.

Furthermore, an upper portion of the movable member 44 b and a lowerportion of the opening and closing piece 43 are assembled by a couplingprotrusion 48 a and a coupling groove 48 b. The upper lid body 41 has aslot 41 b formed at a location corresponding to the guide groove 41 aand along which the coupling protrusion 48 a is moved.

Furthermore, the fixed member 44 a has a supporting plate 44 a-2provided at a lower portion thereof and inserted and fixed in a lowerportion of the upper lid body 41, and a tube 44 a-1 provided at a sideportion of the supporting plate and inserted and fixed in the couplinghole 12 formed at the upper side portion of the outer container 10together with the discharge port 32.

Furthermore, a sealing cap 45 is coupled to the opening and closingpiece 43 at a location corresponding to the contents supply hole 42, anda ring-shaped sealing member 33 is inserted into the contents supplyhole 42 of the upper lid body and into the discharge port 32 of thecontents container so as to cooperate with the sealing cap 45 in anairtight manner.

The lower support 50 is divided into an upper fixed member 51 fixed to alower portion of the outer container and a lower actuating member 55coupled to a lower portion of the upper fixed member so as to be movableupward and downward in cooperation with an upward and downward movementof the inner container 20.

The lower actuating member 55 has an insertion tube 56 provided at anupper center thereof and guide walls circumferentially provided atequiangular locations outside the insertion tube. The insertion tube andthe guide walls are respectively coupled to an insertion hole 52 formedin the center of the upper fixed member 51 and guide holes 53circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole so asto be moved upward and downward therealong. Herein, the upward anddownward movement distance of the insertion tube and the guide walls islimited by a stop protrusion 57 a protruding from a side portion of eachof the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove 54 a vertically formedin a partition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member and alongwhich each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.

At this time, a locking groove 54 b is connected to an upper portion ofeach of the vertical guide grooves 54 a by horizontally extending in acircumferential direction such that when the stop protrusions 57 a areinserted into the locking grooves by rotation of the lower actuatingmember 55, an upward and downward movement of the upper fixed member andthe lower actuating member is limited (locking operation).

In other words, even when the outer container 10 is lifted from asurface, the inner container 20 and the lower actuating member 55 of thelower support 50 are prevented from being moved upward and downward,whereby the opening and closing piece 43 maintains the contents supplyhole 42 a closed state.

Furthermore, the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support 50 has asuction plate 61 assembled to a lower surface thereof and having asuction hole 62 formed in the center of an upper portion thereof. Thesuction plate is configured such that when the outer container is putdown on a surface, an actuating protrusion 36 provided at a lowerportion of the lower cap is inserted into the suction hole 62 to closethe suction hole, thus creating suction, and when the outer container islifted from a surface, the actuating protrusion 36 provided at the lowerportion of the lower cap is separated from the suction hole 62, thusreleasing suction.

At this time, the lower cap 35 has a guide tube 37 protruding from thelower portion thereof outside the actuating protrusion 36 and insertedinto the insertion tube 56 of the lower actuating member so as to bemoved upward and downward therealong. The guide tube 37 has slits 37 avertically formed therethrough at equiangular locations and functioningto allow the guide tube to be elastically operated inward and outwardupon assembly, thus improving the assembling performance and to allowoutside air to be introduced upon suction or release of suction.

Furthermore, the suction plate 61 is configured such that couplingprotrusions 66 of a coupling piece 65 coupled to a lower surface of thesuction plate are inserted into assembly holes 63 of the suction plateand into coupling grooves 56 a that are circumferentially formed in alower end of the insertion tube 56 of the lower plate 55, thus beingprevented from being separated therefrom.

Reference numerals 38 a and 38 b denote locking protrusions that areprovided at ends of the guide tube 37 and the insertion tube 56,respectively, and engaged with each other and locked so as to preventseparation.

Hereinafter, the operation and action of the present inventionconfigured as described above will be described.

First, when the container according to the present invention is put downon a surface, the lower support 50 provided at the lower portion of theouter container 10 is seated on the surface.

At the same time, the lower support 50 provided at the lower portion ofthe outer container 10 is operated such that the upper fixed member 51is moved downward along the lower actuating member 55 due to the weightof the outer container.

At this time, the insertion hole 52 formed in the center of the upperfixed member 51 is moved downward along the insertion tube 56 providedat the center of the lower actuating member 55, and the guide walls 57of the lower actuating member 55 are moved downward along the guideholes circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole.

In particular, the upper fixed member 51 is moved downward within anupward and downward movement range in which the stop protrusions 57 aprotruding from the side portions of the guide walls are moved along thevertical guide grooves 54 a vertically formed in the partition wall 54provided inside the upper fixed member.

At the same time, the outer container 10 is moved down while compressingthe tension member 70 provided between the outer container and the innercontainer 20.

The outer container 10 moved downward as described above causes themovable member 44 b of the upper lid 40, which is elastically supportedby the stopper 23 provided at the upper portion of the inner container,to be moved toward the fixed member 44 a along the inclined portion 44b-1 while compressing the elastic spring 46.

In this process, the movable member 44 b is constantly moved along therails 47 a and the rail grooves 47 b.

At the same time, the opening and closing piece 43 assembled to theupper portion of the movable member 44 b is horizontally moved along theguide groove 41 a of the upper lid, thus closing the contents supplyhole 42 formed in the upper side portion of the upper lid.

At this time, the sealing cap 45 of the opening and closing piece 43 isbrought into close contact with the ring-shaped sealing member 33inserted into the contents supply hole 42 and the discharge port 32 ofthe contents container, thus closing the contents supply hole 42 in anairtight manner.

Through the operation of putting the outer container 10 down on asurface as described above, the opening and closing piece 43 of theupper lid automatically closes the contents supply hole 42.

At the same time, when the outer container 10 is put down on a surface,the contents container 30 provided in the outer container is also moveddownward while the outer container 10 and the upper fixed member 51 ofthe lower support are moved downward.

Then, the guide tube 37 provided at the lower portion of the lower cap35 coupled to the lower portion of the contents container is moveddownward along the insertion tube 56 of the lower actuating member,causing the actuating protrusion 36 protruding inside the guide tube 37of the lower cap to be inserted into the suction hole 62 formed in thecenter of the upper portion of the suction plate 61 coupled to the lowersurface of the lower actuating member, thus creating suction of thesuction plate 61.

In other words, when the outer container 10 is put down on a surface,the suction plate 61 at the bottom of the container is automaticallysucked on the surface. This makes it possible to prevent the containerfrom tipping over due to an external force.

When a user wants to use the contents of the container in such a state,the user can lift the outer container 10 from the surface again whileholding the outer container with the hand. As a result, the loweractuating member 55 of the lower support and the inner container 20 aremoved downward from the outer container 10 due to an elastic forceexerted by the tension member 70 provided between the outer container 10and the inner container 20 and due to the weight of the inner container20 and the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support.

At this time, the insertion tube 56 provided at the center of the loweractuating member 55 is moved downward along the insertion hole 52 formedin the center of the upper fixed member 51, and the guide walls 57 ofthe lower actuating member 55 are moved downward along the guide holes53 circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole.

Herein, the lower actuating member 55 has a limited downward movementdistance within an upward and downward movement range in which the stopprotrusions 57 a protruding from the side portions of the guide wallsare moved along the vertical guide grooves 54 a vertically formed in thepartition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.

At this time, the insertion tube 56 of the lower actuating member ismoved downward along the guide tube 37 provided at the lower portion ofthe lower cap 35 coupled to the lower portion of the contents container,causing the actuating protrusion 36 protruding inside the guide tube 37of the lower cap and inserted into the suction hole 62 formed in thecenter of the upper portion of the suction plate 61 to be separatedtherefrom, thus releasing suction of the suction plate 61. This makes itpossible to easily lift the outer container from a surface.

At this time, air is introduced into the insertion tube 56 through thenotches 37 a vertically formed through the guide tube 37, causing theactuating protrusion 36 to be easily separated from the suction hole 62formed in the center of the upper portion of the suction plate.

In other words, when the outer container 10 is lifted from a surface,suction of the suction plate 61 at the bottom of the container isautomatically released, thus easily lifting and the container from thesurface.

When the outer container 10 is lifted from the surface and the innercontainer 20 is moved downward by the tension member 70 as describedabove, the inclined portion 44 b-1 of the movable member 44 belastically supported by the stopper 23 of the inner container is movedforward to the opposite side of the fixed member 44 while beinginclinedly moved by the elastic force of the elastic spring 46 providedbetween the fixed member 44 a and the inclined portion 44 b-1.

In this process, the movable member 44 b is constantly moved along therails 47 a and the rail grooves 47 b.

At the same time, the opening and closing piece 43 assembled to theupper portion of the movable member 44 b is horizontally moved along theguide groove 41 a of the upper lid, thus automatically opening thecontents supply hole 42 formed in the upper side portion of the upperlid.

In other words, through the operation of lifting outer container 10 froma surface, the contents supply hole 42 is automatically opened, thusmaking it possible for the user to easily withdraw the contents to beused from the container.

On the other hand, when the container according to the present inventionis carried and stored, the container is locked so as to prevent theopening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid from being automaticallyopened and closed.

This is realized by pressing the outer container 10 downward or pressingthe lower actuating member 55 upward from the lower support 50 providedat the lower portion of the outer container, thus moving the loweractuating member 55 upward along the upper fixed member 51.

At this time, the stop protrusions 57 a protruding from the sideportions of the guide walls of the lower actuating member 55 are movedupward along the vertical guide grooves 54 a vertically formed in thepartition wall 54 provided inside the upper fixed member.

In this state, when the lower actuating member 55 is rotated in onedirection along the upper fixed member 51, the stop protrusions 57 a areinserted into the locking grooves 54 b connected to the upper portionsof the vertical guide grooves 54 a by horizontally extending in acircumferential direction, thus limiting an upward and downwardoperation of the upper fixed member and the lower actuating member(locking operation state).

At this time, the opening and closing piece 43 of the upper lid ishorizontally moved as described above, thus maintaining the contentssupply hole 42 in a closed state.

In other words, in the locking operation state, even when the outercontainer 10 is lifted from or put down on a surface, the innercontainer 20 and the lower actuating member 55 of the lower support 50are not moved upward and downward, allowing the opening and closingpiece 43 to maintain the contents supply hole 42 in a closed state. Thismakes it possible to safely carry and store container inside the bag orthe like.

As described above, the present invention has a configuration includingthe outer container, the inner container inserted into the outercontainer to be movable upward and downward, the contents containerinserted into the inner container and fixedly coupled to the outercontainer, the upper lid coupled to the upper portion of the outercontainer and opening and closing the contents supply hole with theopening and closing piece, and the lower support coupled to the lowerportion of the outer container to be movable upward and downward.Accordingly, when the container is lifted from a surface, the openingand closing piece of the upper lid automatically opens the contentssupply hole in cooperation with a downward movement of the innercontainer and the lower support, and when the container is put downagain on a surface after use, the opening and closing piece of the upperlid automatically closes the contents supply hole in cooperation with anupward movement of the inner container and the lower support. Therefore,the present invention can be used by automatically opening and closingthe lid without a separate opening and closing operation thereof andthus is highly convenient and sanitary.

Although the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has beendescribed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A container having an automatically opening and closing lid, thecontainer comprising: a hollow-shaped outer container (10); an innercontainer (20) inserted into the outer container and configured to beelastically movable upward and downward by a tension member (70)inserted between the outer container (10) and the inner container; acontents container (30) inserted into the inner container (20) andfixedly coupled to the outer container (10), the contents containerbeing charged with contents therein; an upper lid (40) having acap-shaped upper lid body (41) coupled to an upper portion of the outercontainer, a contents supply hole (42) formed through an upper sideportion of the upper lid body, an opening and closing piece (43)provided over the contents supply hole, and an opening and closing pieceactuating portion (44) configured to open and close the contents supplyhole by allowing the opening and closing piece to horizontally slide incooperation with an upward and downward movement of the inner container(20); and a lower support (50) comprised of an upper fixed member (51)fixedly coupled to a lower portion of the outer container, and a loweractuating member (55) coupled to a lower portion of the upper fixedmember and configured to be moved upward and downward in cooperationwith the movement of the inner container (20), wherein when the outercontainer (10) is lifted from a surface, the inner container (20) ismoved downward by the tension member (70), and when the outer containeris put down on a surface, the inner container is moved back upward whilecompressing the tension member (70), whereby the opening and closingpiece (43) automatically opens and closes the contents supply hole (42).2. The container of claim 1, wherein the contents container (30) has adischarge port (32) formed in an upper side portion thereof; thedischarge port (32) is inserted and fixed in a coupling hole (12) formedin an upper side portion of the outer container (10); and a sealing cap(45) is coupled to the opening and closing piece (43) at a locationcorresponding to the contents supply hole (42), and a ring-shapedsealing member (33) is inserted into the contents supply hole (42) andinto the discharge port (32) of the contents container so as tocooperate with the sealing cap (45) in an airtight manner.
 3. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing piece actuatingportion (44) is provided at left and right sides thereof with a fixedmember (44 a) and a movable member (44 b) connected to the opening andclosing piece (43) and having an inclined portion (44 b-1), with anelastic spring (46) inserted between the fixed and movable members, anda stopper (23) of the inner container is provided on a front side of theinclined surface (44 b-1) of the movable member (44 b) in close contacttherewith, such that the movable member (44 b) moves the opening andclosing piece (43) while being moved leftward and rightward incooperation with the upward and downward movement of the innercontainer.
 4. The container of claim 3, wherein the fixed member (44 a)and the movable member (44 b) are engaged with each other by rails (47a) and rail grooves (47 b) so as to guide a sliding movement, and thefixed member (44 a) has a supporting plate (44 a-2) provided at a lowerportion thereof and inserted and fixed in a lower portion of the upperlid body (41), and a tube (44 a-1) provided at a side portion of thesupporting plate and inserted and fixed in the coupling hole (12) formedat the upper side portion of the outer container (10) together with thedischarge port (32).
 5. The container of claim 1, wherein the openingand closing piece (43) of the upper lid (40) is inserted into a guidegroove (41 a) formed horizontally in the upper portion of the upper lidbody (41) so as to be moved along the guide groove, and the opening andclosing piece (43) and the movable member (44 b) are assembled by acoupling protrusion (48 a) and a coupling groove (48 b).
 6. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the lower actuating member (55) of thelower support (50) has an insertion tube (56) provided at an uppercenter thereof and guide walls (57) circumferentially provided atequiangular locations outside the insertion tube, and the insertion tubeand the guide walls are respectively coupled to an insertion hole (52)formed in a center of the upper fixed member (51) and guide holes (53)circumferentially formed at locations outside the insertion hole so asto be moved upward and downward therealong, wherein an upward anddownward movement distance of the insertion tube and the guide walls islimited by a stop protrusion (57 a) protruding from a side portion ofeach of the guide walls and by a vertical guide groove (54 a) verticallyformed in a partition wall (54) provided inside the upper fixed memberand along which each of the stop protrusions is vertically moved.
 7. Thecontainer of claim 6, wherein a locking groove (54 b) is connected to anupper portion of each of the vertical guide grooves (54 a) byhorizontally extending in a circumferential direction such that when thestop protrusions (57 a) are inserted into the locking grooves, an upwardand downward movement of the upper fixed member and the lower actuatingmember is limited.
 8. The container of claim 1, wherein the loweractuating member (55) of the lower support (50) has a suction plate (61)assembled to a lower surface thereof and having a suction hole (62)formed in the center of an upper portion thereof, and the suction plateis configured such that when the outer container is put down on asurface, an actuating protrusion (36) of a lower cap coupled to a lowerportion of the contents container is inserted into the suction hole (62)to close the suction hole, thus creating suction, and when the outercontainer is lifted from a surface, the actuating protrusion (36) of thelower cap is separated from the suction hole (62), thus releasingsuction.
 9. The container of claim 8, wherein the lower cap (35) has aguide tube (37) protruding from a lower portion thereof outside theactuating protrusion (36) and inserted into an insertion tube (56) ofthe lower actuating member so as to be moved upward and downwardtherealong, and the guide tube (37) has slits (37 a) vertically formedtherethrough at equiangular locations.